Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Community of One
Have you ever wondered what was really the most important thing on God's mind?
What would He find basic to living a well- rounded Christian life? Scripture shows us time and time again that God would want to see His people living in a functional biblical community of oneness. Where we would be many people but of one heart, one mind, and one soul that constantly seeks communion with God and community with one another. This is God's plan for His people, for us to live in such a way that we " love the Lord our God, with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love our neighbors as our selves." This is the great commandment and it should become to us the great commitment of our very lives on this earth. Christian unity is not an option, for unity speaks to the very heart of God and to the very heart of His Son Jesus Christ. The Bible shows in John 17 the very heart of God within a mere twenty-six verses. As the Holy Spirit speaks through the pen of John the disciple He shows us in this passage in John 17:20-26 that as our Christian unity is a testimony that God sent Jesus.
The Word of God says this in John 17:20-26 " 20 I do not ask for these only, but, also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may known that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them." ( ESV)
Jesus prayed for three essentials things in the body of Christ so that all future believers and the whole world at large would believe that God had sent Him.
- Jesus prayed that believers may be one.
- Jesus prayed that believers may be perfected in unity.
- Jesus prayed that believers may be one with Him in glory.
Jesus prayed that believers may be one.
First, Jesus requested of God his Father, that we might be one. This means that unity between Christians is not an option. It is an absolute imperative, it is the central theme of this part of Jesus' prayer, it is the very heart of Jesus. Believers must be one, look at what Jesus said. Jesus said that the standard for unity in the oneness between Jesus and His Father. Believers are to be just as the Father and Jesus are, for they are one. They are to share the very same kind of unity Jesus and the Father have, which is to be the unity that should be existing between us. What is the purpose of our unity? That the world may believe that God sent Jesus. Jesus is saying that His believers must be one: must be unified, must be of one spirit and mind in proclaiming the central message of the gospel. What is that central message of the gospel? There is only one central message: that God sent Jesus " out of heaven into the world. There is only one request of men: to believe that God did send Jesus into the world. There is only one mission: that Christians may be one , unified in proclaiming the message of the glorious gospel. There are voices all over the church proclaiming so many different things, salvation through works, humanism, rituals and ceremonies, secularism, and denominations. These are not the central message of Christianity. We as the body of Christ must get back on message, if we are going to win the lost for Jesus Christ. The very source of unity is God's glory, the very glory that Jesus Christ possessed and passed on to us per verse 22. If anyone of us who calls themselves a Christians says that unity is not in them, or says that they can't find the ability to walk in unity with their Christian brothers and sisters we must suspect their Christianity, because Christ Himself said that He gave us that ability to walk in unity. It is the glory of God that is given to us believers that unites us and makes us one with Jesus and with God and them make us one with each other. When we as believers experience the glory of God we become one in being with God's character, and purpose. Our lives are changed and we become new creatures through the glory of God. The glory of Christ is the glory of His righteousness which He secured by living a perfect life. The glory of the believer is, the glory of the righteousness which Christ gives to us as believers by faith. We believers are called to become perfected in unity.
Jesus prayed that believers may be perfected in unity.
Jesus requested of God that believers like you and I be perfected in unity, perfected as one body. Many members but only one body. Unity for Christians is not an option it is what we are to be perfected and conformed to , so that we will become made in the image of Jesus Christ. This world has not been reached for Christ, their are hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, millions that are lost and will continue to be lost because believers like you and I have not lived in unity. The problem with the unsaved culture and their unbelief does not lie with Christ. The problem with the unsaved culture and their unbelief lies with you and I, because the unsaved culture does not believe in us. So, the unsaved culture does not believe in Christ that sent us. The problem is our lack of unity and lack of love for one another.
Our source of unity lies in the Indwelling presence of of Christ Jesus, which is our source of unity. Therefore, if the presence of Christ is in the believer ,that means God dwells in the believer and the believer partakes of the divine nature of God. Conversely, it means that if the Spirit of God is not in us then we are none of His. So where there is disunity there must also be a paternity problem, and it makes non- believers wonder who is really our Father? The purpose of a perfected unity is that a unbelieving world may know that God sent Jesus into the world to save and to bring unity. This world will come to know Christ Jesus through a unified witness for Christ. But, it also requires a unified love among one another as well.
Jesus prayed that believers may be one with Him in glory.
John 14:6 says this "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
Jesus requested of His Father God that you and I as believers may be one with Him in glory. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us that we might live as one with Him in glory for eternity. Does it not make perfect sense that we should submit to the glory of God placed in each one of us? Does it not make perfect sense that we submit to the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit sent to us by God Himself that we might witness unity while we are here on earth? Does it not make perfect sense that we should live our lives as a witness to Christ in whom we believe? If we do this, we will be able to be one with Christ in glory and God will answer the very prayer of the heart of Jesus. And at the same time unbelievers will see our unity and love for one another and contrast it against their own lives. Then they will believe that God sent Jesus and they will come to Christ as well longing to become one with us all.
In His service
Andy
Rev. Andrew Hunt, III
Pastor, Body of Christ Community Church
President, Community of One, CDC,
Indianapolis East 72nd St Indianapolis, IN 46250
317-842-6060
317-514-8734
